With a libretto by Rusomir Bogdanovski, music by Vlatko Stefanovski, costumes by Blagoj Micevski, and stage design by Valentin Svetozarev, choreographer and director Risima Risimkin — who in recent years has emerged as a promoter of avant-garde approaches and, undoubtedly, one of the most prolific young authors in our country — once again confirms her ability and sensibility for creating a fully conceived performance.
On the grand stage of the Macedonian National Theatre, the production seems to have gained a distinctive new dimension, further emphasizing the authenticity and originality of the author’s choreographic concept.
In this case, unlike Risimkin’s previous projects, such as Vacuum and Wedding (Thoughts and Images), which can be placed within the framework of ballet theatre, The Oak Forest reveals a liberation from certain boundaries and forms, serving the purpose of expressiveness and, this time, controlled emotionality. Through this approach, the performance achieves a more subtle treatment of certain fundamentally universal ideas and their intellectual exploration.
A particular quality of the production lies in its ability to inspire diverse perspectives and experiences, providing a foundation for the audience’s contemplative engagement through the unfolding of the narrative: The Oak Forest as a metaphor and allegory of the inner self; the characters as personifications of vital psychological functions; Slavic mythology as an idea of origins, as a fragile collective heritage; the immense struggle for power and possession; and the acorn of the forest as a symbol of beginnings and a symbol of the future.
